Pneumatic water system for domestic purposes.



H. M. LOFTON.

v PNEUMATIC WATER SYSTEM FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES.

APPLICATION FILED APR 23. 1908.

1,028, 1 2 1 Patented June 4, 1912.

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HERBERT M. LOFTON, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES W. CONWAY, 0F CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

PNEUMATIC WATER SYSTEM FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERBERT M. LoF'roN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Atlanta, county of Fulton, and State of Georgia, have invented an Improvement in Pneumatic Water Systems for Domestic Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to a pneumatic water system for domestic purposes, and consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient means which may be employed in conjunction with a well for furnishing water under pressure to farm houses, suburban residences, etc., where a regular city water-works system is not available.

My invention consists of a tank located within the well and into which water is de liverecl from the well, combined with a c0mpressed air receiver, a compressor for forcing air into the receiver under pressure, a hand controlled valve for regulating the flow of compressed air from the receiver into the water tank to displace the water therefrom, and a discharge pipe from said water tank to a place of discharge.

My invention also consists of the above described construct-ion associated with a water pipe leading from the. water tank into the well and provided with a check valve, an air pipe having controlling means and leading from the compressed air re ceiver to the water pipe, and a nozzle through which the compressed air discharges for lifting the water into the water tank, the whole operating to permit the water to be discharged from the tank by the compressed air admitted thereto, and to permit the tank to be refilled by the compressed air acting to lift the water from the well into the tank.

My invention also comprehends other features of construction which, together with those, above specified, will be better understood by reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved water supply system with part in section; and Fig. 2 is a cross section of the air control valve on a larger scale.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 23, 1908.

Patented June a, 1912. Serial No. 428,829.

This system works with pneumatic pres sure, and it is intended to have this air pressure pumped up at certain periods, say at the beginning of the day, after which water may be run from the faucets at any time during the day or night, it being understood that the water supply pipes can be piped around to any part of the dwelling or farm stables in the same manner as would be done in the regular water works system.

The apparatus is intended for use with a well and the water tank from which the water is forced is located in the well deep enough to keep the water in it cool in warm weather and to prevent it freezing in cold weather. Ordinarily, the tank may be located in the well within one or two feet of the water line. The air compressor would be located above the well or in the house. In the drawings, the details of a well are not shown, as being unnecessary for a proper understanding of the invention. i

A is a tank having two compartments, the upper compartment A being for the storage of air under pressure, and the lower compartment A being for water.

A is a metal diaphragm separating the two compartments of the tank.

A? shows a strainer connected at one side as at A with air supply pipe 0 and has its upper end connected with the filling pipe A. This strainer is also tapped and has inserted in its central portion the air nozzle A the said nozzle projecting slightly upward in the filling pipe A. This filling pipe is equipped with check valve A and T A and discharge pipe A", the latter projecting slightly above the bottom of the water compartment A. Connected to the T- A is a water discharge pipe A this pipe being equipped with a check valve A which is inserted near the T A The discharge pipe A is shown equipped with a hydrant valve or faucet A or may'lead to a system of house water pipes or elsewhere as desired.

B is an ordinary single acting air pump, provided with a piston B,'and may be 0perated by the hand lever B and the connecting rod B The pump is equipped with an air discharge pipe B containing a check valve B close to the pump. This pump may be of any ordinary construction and may be equipped with usual inlet and outlet valves. The air discharge pipe B leading from the air pump, connects at the other end with the flange pipe coupling 13 which is made fast to the timber D above the well. A pipe A connects with the coupling B and its lower end in turn connects with the air compartment A of the tank A. The pipe A and coupling thus suspends the tank.

Referring to Fig. 2, C is a four-way controlling valve which is provided with a plug cock C, which in turn is provided with cavities C and C in its body and the spring washer C on its shank. C is a bonnet of the valve body to close its end. ,The shank has an adjusting nut C to put the spring washer under tension and keep the plug tight in its seat. The shank is also provided with handle C which is connected with the controlling handle C located above the surface of the well by means of connecting wires C. This controlling valve C is connected to the air compartment A by means of the pipe C opening into the same above the line of the partition sheet A, and is also connected with the water compartment A by means of the pipe C opening into the same just below the partition sheet A. On its opposite side, the valve C is connected to the air lifting device by means of the pipe C and to a small air whistle as shown at C. In operation, it will be noticed that the cavity C in the plug cock C overlaps the openings C and C on one side of the valve body, and on the opposite side the cavity C overlaps the opening C which connects with the air compartment A of the tank A and opening C which connects with the water compartment A of the tank A.

To fill the compartment A with water, the operation is as follows: The plug cock C is revolved in a manner that will disengage the cavity C from the openings C and C so that there will be no connection between the upper and lower compartments of the tank. After this has been done, the air compartment is supplied with air under sufiicient pressure by means of the air pump B operated with the hand lever B it be ing understood that this pressure is held in the compartment by means of the check valve B After ample pressure has been obtained, the plug cock C is revolved until the cavity C registers with openings C and C and this permits the compressed air from the compartment A to How out through pipe C to cavity C thence through opening C and pipe G, into the nozzle in lifting pipe A submerged to a suflicient depth in the water in the well. The air in flowing out the nozzle A lifts the water out of the well through the lifting pipe A the check valve A and out through the opening A into the water compartment A, thus filling the same. The air that is required to lift this water and the air that occupies this compartment before filling process is started must be permitted to escape at the top of the water compartment as the water rises therein. It will be noticed that in revolving the plug cock C so that it brings the pipes C and G into register through the cavity C the cavity C is brought into register with the opening C* and G which permits the air, just referred to, to flow out of the compartment A through opening 0*, cavity C and the small whistle C thus blowing the whistle during the entire time the tank is being filled. The whistle continues to blow until the water compartment has been filled on a line with the opening C". The water will then flow through this opening and into the whistle C, which will stop the sound or signal and will thus indicate that the water compartment has been filled to the proper height. The plug cock C is then revolved by means of the controlling handle C until the cavity C again overlaps the opening G" and C As the air compartment A is still filled with air under pressure, this air will flow out through the opening C cavity C and the opening G into compartment A, thus putting the air pressure on top of the water supply in the lower compartment; this pressure is thus constant, and will force the water out through the pipe A", thence through the check valve A and into the supply pipe A and may be delivered from the faucet A, or at any other point that the piping system may be carried to. The water may thus be raised to any height by supplying sufficient pressure in the air compartment A and after the water supply that has been stored in the lower compartment A has been used up, it can be again renewed by repeating the operation hereinbefore described.

My improved system of supplying Water under pressure will prove of great value in places where there is no regularwater works system. All that is necessaryis to charge the system at stated intervals, and after which, the water may be turned on or ofi at the spigot or faucet at will. The size of the tank can be regulated to suit the requirements, being limited only by the size of the well in which it is located.

By the use of my improved system, a full set of household fixtures, including both stationary wash basins and sanitary closets can be installed and hot water be made available and even a small hose can be provided for use for putting out incipient fires, as well as sprinkling lawns, etc.; in fact, it will answer every requirementwithin the limit of its capacity, that would be secured with the regular city waterworks system.

Broadly considered, my invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details of the structure herein illustrated, for while employing the use of compressed air for providing the pressure of forcing the water from the tank through the discharge pipes, various means may be employed for refilling the tank, and hence I do not confine myself to those shown for this purpose. It is also evident that, while I have shown a most convenient form of valve for controlling the air to adapt it to the several uses herein set out, the means for controlling the air may be otherwise constructed so long as the same general results are secured; therefore while I prefer the construction of apparatus shown, I do not confine myself to the details thereof.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a system of water supply, the combination of a water tank arranged above a body of water, a feed pipe extending from the water into the bottom of the tank, a continuous pipe for delivering the water from the bottom of the tank to a distance and provided with a faucet, an air chamber for air alone and independent of the water pipe, means for charging the air chamber with compressed air, means for delivering the compressed air from the air chamber into the water tank, means for delivering compressed air from the air chamber to the feed pipe for raising the water into the tank, and hand controlled devices for shutting ofi the supply of compressed air to the feed pipe when delivering it to the water tank and vice versa.

2. In a system of water supply, the combination of a water tank arranged above a body of water, a feed pipe extending from the water into the bottom of the tank, a continuous pipe for delivering the water from the bottom of the tank to a distance and provided with afaucet, an air chamber for air alone and independent of the water pipe, means for charging the air chamber with compressed air, means for delivering the compressed air from the air chamber into the water tank, means for delivering compressed air from the air chamber to the feed pipe for raising the water into the tank, hand controlled devices for shutting oil the supply of compressed air to the feed pipe when delivering it to the water tank and vice versa, and a whistle device operated by the escaping air from the water tank during the filling of the tank with water and until it has become filled.

3. In a system of water supply, the combination of a water tank arranged above a body of water, a feed pipe extending from the water into the bottom of the tank, a continuous pipe for delivering the Water from the bottom of the tank to a distance and provided with a faucet, an air chamber for air alone and independent of the water pipe, means for charging the air chamber with compressed air, means for delivering the compressed air from the air chamber into the water tank, means for delivering compressed air from the air chamber to the feed pipe for raising the water into the tank, and hand con trolled devices for shutting off the supply of compressed air to the feed pipe when delivering it to the water tank and vice versa, consisting of a valve device comprising four ports or outlets respectively in communication with the feed pipe air chamber water tank and atmosphere and a plug therefor having two opposite circumferential channels adapted to connect the ports or outlets in pairs.

4:. In a system of water supply from a body of Water in a well, the combination of a water tank suspended above the body of water in the well, a continuous pipe for delivering the water from the lower part of the tank to a distance and having a faucet thereon, an air chamber for air alone and independent of the water pipe, means for compressing air and storing it in the air chamber, means for delivering the compressed air from the air chamber to the water tank, a feed pipe extending from the water tank into the water of the well, means operated by compressed air to force water through said feed pipe into the water tank, and hand controlled means for shutting off the supply of compressed air from the air chamber to the water tank when the tank is being supplied with water and providing an escape of air from the water tank to the atmosphere.

5. In a system of water supply, the combination of a water tank suspended above the body of water in the well, a pipe for delivering the water from the lower part of the tank to a distance and having a faucet thereon, an air chamber, means for compressing air and storing it in the air chamber, means for delivering the compressed air from the air chamber to the water tank, a feed pipe extending from the water tank into the water of the well, means operated by compressed air to force water through said feed pipe into the water tank, hand controlled means extending to the top of the well for shutting off the supply of compressed air from the air chamber to the water tank when the tank is being supplied with water and providing an escape of air from the water tank to the atmosphere, and a Whistle operated by the escaping air to indicate when the water tank is full of water.

6. In a system of water supply, a tank A having a water compartment A and compressed air chamber A arranged close to but above a body of water, a depending feed pipe from the water compartment of the tank into the body of water, a check valve in said feed pipe, an air nozzle for forcing the water up said feed pi-pe into the compartment, a pipe for delivering the Water from the compartment to a distance, an air pipe for delivering compressed air to the air chamber A an air compressor for delivering compressed air to the air pipe for charging the air chamber, and hand operated means for controlling the delivery of compressed air from the air chamber into the water compartment and air nozzle alternately.

7. In a system of water supply, a tank A having a water compartment A and compressed air chamber A arranged close to but above a body of water, a depending feed pipe from the water compartment of the tank into the body of Water, a check valve in said feed pipe, an air nozzle for forcing the Water up said feed pipe into the compartment, a pipe for delivering the water from the compartment to a distance, an air.

pipe for delivering compressed air to the air chamber A an air compressor for delivering compressed air to the air pipe for charging the air chamber, and hand operated means for controlling the delivery of compressed air from the air chamber into the water compartment and air nozzle alternately and also permit the escape of air from the water compartment of the tank when it is being charged with water.

8. In a system for supplying water, a well, the combination of a frame D at an elevation above the Water, a single tank having separated water and air compartments arranged above the water and below the frame, a charging pipe for the air compartment supported by the frame D and from which the tank is suspended, an air compressor from the well for charging the charging pipe and air compartment, means for permitting compressed air to pass from the air compartment to the Water compartment, an air operated lift device for charging the Water compartment with water suspended from the tank and extending doWn into the Water, and hand controlled means extending from the tank to the frame D for controlling the flow of compressed air to the water compartment or to the air operated device for charging the Water compartment alternately.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand.

HERBERT M. LOFTON.

Witnesses:

T. T. SMITH, Jr., E. A. DORR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

